Audible electric signaling mechanism



June l, 1948. c. MILLER UDIBLE ELECTRIC SIGNALING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 21, 1945Y vATTORNEY l /l u go (/7 /5 2o 25 2 7//v`ru4 far/0N Patented June l, 1948 AUDmLE ELECT-nro SIGNALING MnonAmsMA Christianl Miller, Norwalk, Conn., assignor to Edwards and Company, Inc., Norwalk, Conn., a corporation of New York Application December 21,1945, Serial No. 636,480

8 Claims. l

This invention relates to audible electric signalling mechanisms, and more particularly toelec trically actuated bells and buzzers.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide .a dependable audible signalling device, electrically actuated, that will be of simple, compact, and economical construction and well adapted to meet varying requirements of practical use. Another object is to provide an electric signalling device, the individual parts of which will be simple `and inexpensive, easy to fabricate, and easy to assemble. Another object is to provide an electric bell construction utilizing a gong element, with the actuating mechanism and gong element so constructed that the former will be efliciently housed within the latter and yet have a construction and action that will eiciently and eiectively set the gong element into vibration for sound production when struck. Another object is to provide a mechanism and assembly therefor capable of complete or substantially complete accommodation within the gong element so that the latter serves as at least a part of the housing or enclosure.

Another object is to provide a combined bell and lbuzzer construction in which selection ,of bell action or buzzer action may be effected in a practical, reliable, and foolproof manne-r. Another object is to provide a signalling construction that can be quickly altered, and at will, to give a buzzer type f audible signal or a bell or musical tone type of signal.

Another object is,` in general, to provide an improved construction and action for electricallyactuated, audible signalling devices, and other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointe out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown, illustratively, a preferred form of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a, top or plan view of the complete device, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the device of Fig. 1, but with the gong element removed so as to show the internal parts;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional View Aas seen along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, certain of the parts there shown being also parts as seen along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the frame showing certain parts in development;

Fig. 6 is an elevation on a larger scale of an armature-striker unit at one stage of its construction; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a contact unit. f

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring, first, to Figs. 1 and 3, I provide a frame element I0 which is preferably round where the gong or bell element I I is round. The frame I0 is preferably made of sheet metal and has a reinforcing side flange I2, the edge of which can rest against the wall or surface to which the construction is to be secured, and a-n inwardly-directed liange I3 which may be given an upward and inward inclination, terminating, as along the line I 4, in a circle of substantially the same diameter as the side wall IIa of the gong II, which preferably has a top wal1 IIb that has a central portion substantially flat or plane and preferably of considerable radius or area, for a purpose later described. The inwardly-directed flange I3 provides a convenient area throughout which to distribute suitable holes forsecuring devices, such as screws or the like, and two such holes I5 and I6 are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Within the area of the ange I3 I may also provide suitable connecting elements, such as binding posts or screws, by which the external circuit conductors may be connected to the device, andv two such binding posts are shown at I'l and I8.

The dome-like gong element I with the frame I0 can thus be given a neat and compact appearance, and, within the space underneath the gong I I I accommodate an electrically-actuated striking mechanism constructed so as to give an effective Whipping-striking action upon the gong, even though it is accommodated within the small and restricted space underneath the gong, the latter, illustratively, having a diameter as small as two and a half inches or so. This mechanism comprises an electro-magnet, generally indicated by the reference character 2l), having a magnetic core 2| carrying end insulatingdisks 22 and 23 between which and about the' core is the winding 24, one terminal of which is connected by conductor 25 tojbin'ding post I1, a conductor 25 leading from the other binding post I8 to complete the circuit through an interrupter device laterdescribed. The binding posts Il and I8 are suitably insulated from the metal of the frame I0 in any suitable way, as by an internal strip'of insulating material 21 (Fig. 4) and an external strip of insulating material 28'(Fig. l). If de the securing screws can thus be mad-emoto fun=` obtrusive in appearance. If desired, the holes"3z| and 32 (Figs. 1 and 2) may be provided to either side of the screw hole I6 so that, if the .circuit structed preferably in the manner shown in Fig. 7, having a horizontal base part 4l that has two downwardly-directed securing ears 4'IfL and 41h which pass through two spaced slots in an insulating block 4B, the ears being bent over against theunderside oi the block 48 so that the parts 46 and 48 forma single unit. In two opposed ends of the block 48 are formed recesses 481 and "JMD which coact with securing ears 34 and 34h :providedin the bridging portion 34, as by cutting I pr :stamping the latter along the broken lines 4?:

of Fig. 5, The unit i6- 43, as seen in Fig. 7, and

`ateri'he securing ears 34a and 34h have been bent conductors are not in the nature of surface wiring,

but emerge, for example, from a recess, conduit, hole, or the like in the wall over' which theirame III is mounted, they can be brought out through the holes 3| and 32 andsecured to the external portions or screws of thebinding posts I1 and I8.

The frame IU is preferably stamped andvd-rawn out of a disk-like pieceof sheet metal so as to provide an internal area ror portion of sheet metal, indicated at 34in Figs. 2, 3, and 5,'the portion 34 being thus bridged across and supported bythe frame I0, and with -this arrangement it is thus possible, if desired, to make the portion-34:and certain other mounting parts formed out of it, as later described, :integral with theirame $10. For example, out of the portion 34 there-is cut or stamped a lug or bracket 4par-t 35 (Fig. 5) having a hole 36 therein and bent upwardly about the line31 so that it stands upright, as shown `in Fig. 2, a reduced end portion of the core 2| beingreceived in the Lhole 3-6'and headed over, as-atll,

thus supporting` the magnet 2D with its axis-in the illustration, substantially parallel tour coincident'with a diameter of theframeor' bridge portion34.

In much the same manner a part 39 (Figs. 5 and 2) is cut out of theportion 34 and bent 4upwardly to form a post by--which the armature and striker unit, generally indicated by the reference character 40, in Fig. 6, is mounted and supported for coaction, respectively,y with the electromagnet2 andthe gong II. The unit'40'comprisesan armature 4| and a striker 42 whichextend substantially at right angles to eachother, being preferably made out of a single stamping of suitably heavy steel inthe shape shown in Fig. 6, the parts'42 and 4I bei-ngfin the same plane? as they are stamped out ofthe blank sheet-metal and extending parallel to each other, having conformations,as indicated, to lessen waste in stamping a succession of them out of strip stock. The

striker" 42 can terminate in an enlargement.

which can-be provided with astrikerfhead 42a (Figs. 1 and 2), as by deformation of the metal or securing a separate part thereto. The striker arm. 42 is then bent at right angles to the armature part 4|, and to the latter is secured, Ias by rivets 43, a flat spring 44, shaped as shown in Figs'. 6 4and 2, having a mounting portion `44a by which it is secured, as by rivets 45, i'latwise against the nat upstandingy post 39-at a heightlsee'Fig. 4) to Vbring the left-hand end of thearmature portlon-4| into juxtaposition to the end lrof the core 2| 'of the electro-magnet 20 ;'the mounting spring 44 has a portion 44bthat extends along one face of the armature '4 I, -being bent away from the armature 4| somewhat,as shown in Fig. 2, and it is to serve `as one of the'contactsof the circuit making Vand breaking mechanism .that is inicircuit with the winding 24.

The companion lpart of the make-andY break mechanism comprises an upstanding post146, conupwardly, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, is placed in position upon the upper face of the portion 34,

fthe size-of the .insulating block being greater than the hole cut out along the lines 49 of Fig. 5, whence the upstanding lugs or ears 34@ and 34h are received in the recesses or cutouts 48a and 4Gb ofthe insulating block 63 and are then bent over inwardly toward each other to anchor the unit 46-48 in position. The bent-over ends of' f 46 in any Isuitable way, and, for example, may

have some of its insulation stripped off at an end andthe bared conductor clamped inbetween the insulating block 48 and the base 4'! of the post 46. The latter is provided with any suitable Contact element to coact with the spring 44h, and such a contact element may take the form of a screw 52 tightly threaded through a hole in the post 48. Thereby the coaction with the vibratable armature contact spring 44b may be adjusted, or the post 46 may be bent for purposes of adjustment. If a contact screw 52 is employed, its tightness of fit in the post 46 can suffice to retain it in adjusted position.

With one of the terminals of winding 24 connected to a binding post II by conductor 25, the other terminal'can be grounded, for example, to the'core 2|, which, through its mounting 35, is grounded tothe bridging part 34; likewise, the contact'spring 44b is grounded by its connection tothe post 38, and, with the contact post 4G insulated and connected by insulated conductor 25 to the binding post IS, the energization of the winding 24 is interrupted by the vibration of the armature 4I which on alternate strokes makes and breaks the energizing circuit contact 52 and spring 44h. The striker head i2a is thus likewise vibrated or oscillated, but at a multiplied amplitudel, due to the relationship of the lengths of the lever arms, respectively, of the armature 4| and the'striker arm 42 in relation to the effective axis of pivoting which is in the springl44 closely adjacent the apex of the angle between the parts 4I and 42. In relationship, however, to the circular cross-section lof the depending side wall I Ia of the gong II, the moving strokes of the striker head 42P- are in a direction at an acute angle thereto and, hence, most eective impacting of the gong to set it into sound-emitting vibration would not take place. Accordingly, I deform the side wall II"L of the gong II at a suitable point therein, as at A, in Fig. 3, so as to provide an anvil, the face of which against which the striker head 42 is to impact extends substantially at right angles to the direction of the moving strokes of the striker head 42a. This I prefer to do by stamping or pressing a short peripheral portion of the One of the insulated' side wall II@ inwardly, forming in eiect an external notch in the gong I I and having two Wall portions IIc and IIe extending at substantially right angles to each other, with one of them, the portion llc, extending substantially parallel to the striker arm 42 and, hence, at right angles to the moving strokes of the striker head 42"-a1l as is better shown in Fig. 1. The gong Il is preferably a metal stamping of suitable heavy sheet metal of appropriate composition, and the external notch or deformation lcan be easily effected by a simple punch-press operation.

I, therefore, provide suitable means for quickly and simply determining the rotary position of the gong I I and prefer to do this in a manner so that, optionally, the gong II may be set so that the reciprocating striker head 42a strikes the anvil portion IIc of the gong I I when the effect or musical tone of the gong or bell is desired, or to hold the anvil portion I Ic out of striking range by the striker head 42a when it is desired that the device function as a buzzer. A preferred manner of carrying this out comprises a suitable mounting. generally indicated by the reference character 55, for supporting the gong/I I from the underside of its top wall I Ib and for selective rotary movement, as by a suitable pivotal connection, between the gong I I and the mounting 55; such a pivotal connection may comprise a bolt, or screw, or rivet 56 passing through a hole, preferably at the center of the gong Il, and into or through the mounting 55, the clamping action being preferably yieldable so that th'e gong II may be given a rotary movement by hand relative to the mounting 55 and, hence, I prefer to include a spring washer 51 underneath the head of the member 56, The spring washer 5'I can thus interpose sufficient friction or give the pivotal mounting a spring-tightening in axial .direction which can hold the gong against inadvertent rotary movement, but which can be overcome manually to give the gong the desired rotary shift.

Preferably I provide suitable means to limit the possible rotary movement of the gong, particularly to determine the proper positioning of the anvil II when it is desired to have the device function as a bell. Such means may comprise an arcuate slot Il (Fig. 1) in the top wall ofv th'e gong II and positioned preferably'at a substantial radial distance from its center which is coincident with the axis of pivoting provided by the pivotal connection 56, and I provide in the mounting 55 an upstanding pin or projection 5B that projects into the slot IIf. Accordingly, if the gong II is given a counter-clockwise rotary movement in Fig. 1 the anvil I I c is swung away from the striker 42a to bring it out of its range by an amount of rotary movement determined by the length of the slot IIf, th'e right-hand end of which, when it engages the pin or stud 58, limits such movement. Thereafter energization of the electro-magnet sets the armature-striker unit 40 into vibration, giving a buzzing sound, the gong not being set into vibration. If, however, a musical note of the gong is desired, th'e gong II is swung into clockwise direction and, hence, into the position shown in Fig. 1, where the left-hand end of the slot IIf and the pin 58, when in engagement, so limit the approach, toward the left, of the anvil IIc to the striker 42a that the subsequent reciprocation of the striker properly strikes the anvil II and sets'the gong into vibration. The slot IIi can be of short length, in which case its substantial radial distance from the axis of the pivotal mounting of the gong insures precision of setting of the anvil I Ic for being struck by the striker 42a.

Preferably I also provide suitable indexing means, aside from or in addition to the holding action of the spring washer 5'I, for releasably holding the gong in each of its two above-described positions. In the underface of the' top wall IIb I provide two recesses or depressions 6I and 62 spaced apart by the same Iangle as is the permissible angle of rotary movement of the gong under the control of the pin 58 and slot IIf, and projecting upwardly from the mounting 55 is a projection 63 formed as by deformation of the sheetrmetal of the mounting 55 and shaped so as to seat itself in either of the recesses 6I, 62, to provide what may be called a hill-andvalley indexing means. The parts are preferably so related as to permit yielding movement away from each' other of the gong and the projection 63, as by a spring action, so that the projection 63 may be brought out of seating or interlocking relation with one of the recesses or seats 6I, 62, and, when the other recess isbrought around to the projection 63 upon rotary movement of the gong, the spring action eifects seating or interlocking therebetween. This may be accomplished by the spring action of the spring washer 5l, which permits upward or tilting movement of the gong Il to a suiicient extent, or by providing the projection 63 in a downwardly yieldable or resilient part of the mounting 55, or both. The projection 63 can thus coact to yieldingly lock the gong II in eith'er of the positions which it may take under the control of the pin 58 and slot IIf, thus making sure that the vibration of the electro-magnetic mechanism, particularly during the bell action and the impacts upon the gong, does not effect rotary creeping of the gong out of its intended position.

The mounting 55 preferably comprises at least one, and preferably two, bracket-like supporting elements cut and bent out of the material of the sheet-metal portion 34, and, where two such members are provided, they preferably coact to form a bridge-like bracket to support the gong, at its pivotal connection, at its center. In Fig. 5 one such bracket-forming member is shown in full outline at 65, the full lines showing the lines along which the sheet metal of portion 34 is cut, and the broken line 66 showing the line along which the member 65 is bent upwardly out of the plane of the part 34 In Figs. 2 and 4 the actual bend is also shown at 66. From the bend 66 the bracket part 65 slopes upwardly and inwardly to one side of the striker arm 42, whence it is bent, as at 61, to provide a horizontal support portion 68, which has a hole 69 therein for receiving the pivotal connecting element 56. The part 68 provides a substantial dat area to engage against the under fiat surface of the top wall IIb of th'e gong, and at a free corner thereof(see Figs.h5 and 2) the projection 63 is provided, as by deforming the sheet metal upwardly, for selective coaction with the downwardly-exposed recessesv 6I and 62 in the underface of the gong. The part 63 being located in a corner portion of the part 68, the corner portion can yield due to the springthe mounting of the projection 63 greater resiliency or springy action for snapping into either of the sockets or recesses 6I or 62 to form a re- 7 leasable lock and 'ior'yieldin'g out of either of these recesses when sum'cient torque ismanually applied to the geng Il to turn it.

above indicated, I may, hovveveniorm and cut Aout of the sheet-'metal Aportion 34 (Fig. 5) an other bracket-like element, as indicated at 1|,

- cutting it 'out along the Afull lines there vindicated and bending it upwardly at fan appropriate ine clination (see Fig. 4) aboutthe-broken line =2,

whence it is again bent, as at 13, to bring the; e'nd portion lll into 'coaction with the iiat portion '68 of the cor'npanion bracket 'element 65. companion portions `project toward'fea'ch other (Fig. so that when each of the bracket elements is bent, as above described, 'parts of the portions 68 and'14 are brought into `overlapping relation (see Figs. 2 and '4) ,and 'the hole 75 in the one and the holeV '69 in the other are brought into registry to receive the gong pivoting element 56 which may, thus, also serve to connect the two parts 68 'and 'M mechanically together. If desired, and preferably-,the underlapping part 64 may be conformed or bent, as shown in Fig.4,so that-the upperface r'of the rest of it is in the same plane with the' upper face'f the part 68, thus Yto provide a large, flat surface' against which 'the Atop wall ofi the gong may rest and' symmetrically disposed, for' balanced support of the gong, with respect to the axis of pivoting of the gong. The bracket parts 1I and 65 (Figs. 4and 2) thus complement each other and'together they form a gong-supporting bridge that extends over the electro-magnetic actuating mechanism.

If desired', suitablev indicia coacting with the gong Il may be provided to indicate the vsetting of the 'gong' for either bell or'b'zzer action. vFor example, adjacent the one endv of 'the sl'ot Hf there may be applied, as by stamping, indicia such as Be, and adjacent the otherend the designation Bz" can be applied,v to. indicate that when the parts are set so that the visible stud or projection 58 is at the Be end of the slot,I the parts are set forv bell' action, and, to set them for buzzer action, adjustment is made to bring the YBz end of the slot and the projection 58 together.

It'will thusbe seen that there has 'been provided in this invention an electrically actuated, audible signalling apparatus in which the various objects above noted, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved. It will be seen that the construction'is of a thoroughly practical nature, is 'economical to manufacture, and is of thoroughly reliable and flexible or selectable acti'on in practical use.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and las many changes might be made in the embodiment above 'set forth, it is to be understood that `all 'matter hereinbefre set forth, or shown in the accompanyingdrawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. A .signalling construction comprising a frame element having a gong supporting bracket, a gong closing over the frame and supported pvot-ally by said bracket, electro-rnagnetically-actuated striker mechanism accommodated in the space underneath the gong and having a'striker for'striking a portion of the gong, means'interrelating the path of striking movement of the striker and said gong' portion whereby operative gong-'striking action is dependent upon the position of th'gong abouttheaxis of itspill/(5132.1'conf nectionvtc the bracket,- Whereby said gong may These be moved in one direction about its pivot so that said'gong' portion is out of the range 'of striking movement ofthe striker and the apparatus pr0- duces an audible buzzing signal, and meansV for -determining pivotal movement of- 'the 'gong in opposite direction to position said gong portion suitably with' respect to the striker movement of the striker 'so that the apparatus prduces'an audible gong signal, said gong having a dome like shape of generally circular cross-section and its vaxis of pivoting being substantially at its cen'- ter, said gong presenting an internal surface with agong overlying said bracket and frame and have y ing a pivotal connection with the..bracketforv rotary movement of the gong about theiaxis of the pivotal connection, and electro-amagneticl striker mechanism mounted underneath the-gong and having a striker for striking the gong,fsai'd gong having anvil' means movable, upon rt'ary movement of the gong, into or out Vof operative striking relation to the striker, whereby the apparatus may be set for gong-striking action or for buzzer action.

3. vA construction as claimed in claim 2in which said gong and bracket have coacting pinand-slot means to limit rotary positioning of the gong for gong action or buzzer action.

4. A construction as claimed in claim 2 in which said pivota1 connection comprisesv means for frictionally holding the vgong from movement out of either of its` rotated positions when1 set for gong action or buzzer action.

5. A construction as claimed in claim 2 in which said Ygong and said bracket have coa'ctng' 'disengageable indexing means for releasably holding the gong againstundesired rotary movement out'of position.

6. A construction as claimed in claim 2 in which said sheet-metal bracket has a'resilient 4portion movable toward or away from the gong,

said resilient portion and said gong having coactingV hill-and-valley indexing means for interengagement releasably under lthe yielding action of said resilient portion.

7.-..An electric bell construction comprising a sheet-metal frame having a portion thereof struck therefrom and bent upwardly into overlying relation thereto to form a gong supporting bracket, a dome-like gong supported by said bracket and overlying said frame to yform acasing-like enclosure therewith, an-electro-magnetic winding having a bracket-like support therefor formed by striking and bendingout of a portion of the sheet metal of the frame for supporting the winding underneath the dome, and striker means responsive to said electro-magnetic winding and strikingv said gong internally thereof.

8. An electric bell construction-comprising a dome-like gong, a sheet-metal frame-like base having struck4 out of the sheetfmetal thereof underlying thev gong a plurality of parts thata're bentupwardly and meet substantially above the center of 'the base t'o forma composite bracket supprt for the "gong, means 'or securing the gong to'said parts-cf the compositbra'cket; andelectro-magnetic means underlying said composite bracket support and including striker means actuated thereby for impacting the gong.

CHRISTIAN MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number Number Austria Mar. 10, 1922 

